Reflector.



T. B. DIXON.

REFLECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG- ms.

Patented June 12, 1917.

ATTORNEY R. m m 6% Y B TINT l Il THOMAS BULLITT DIXON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

REFLECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 12, 1917.

Original application filed July 19, 1915, Serial No. 40,694. Divided and. this application filed August 1,

1916. Serial No. 112,486.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. DIXON, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city of New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and'useful Improvements in Reflectors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in reflectors, more particularly reflectors adapted for use in radio-electric relays and other apparatus wherein low inertia of a movable reflector is an important consideration, and wherein it is nevertheless desired that the reflector shall be of considerable area. My invention comprises a reflector composed of a plurality of strips having parallel mountings permitting them to turn about parallel axes, the several strips being also connected so as to vibrate together. Such a reflector deflects a beam of light much as if it were an integral reflector of equivalent area; but its inertia being much less than that of an otherwise equivalent unitary reflector of equal area, my improved reflector, which I sometimes term a multi-strip reflector, is much better suited than is the unitary reflector for high speed operation.

The objects of my invention are to reduce the inertia of reflectors of considerable area, and thereby to permit relatively high speed vibration of such reflectors by delicate means, such as galvanometer coils; and to make the improved reflector simple, relatively inexpensive, and capable of a high speed of vibration.

I will now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, and willthen point out the'novel features in claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows, more or less diagrammatically, a front elevation of a multi-strip reflector embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 shows a horizontal section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Flg. 3 shows a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

In my application Serial No. 10,694, filed July 19, 1915, of which the present application is a division, I have illustrated, in various forms, a radio-electric relay embodying one or more selenium cells with means comprising a reflector actuated by a galvanometer coil, for deflecting one or more beams of light across the surface or surfaces of such selenium cell or cells. The reflector herein illustrated and described is particularly adapted and intended for use as the primary actuating device reflector of the said application.

In the said drawings, numerals 1 designate a number of parallel reflecting strips together forming, in eifect, one large reflector; there being slight clearance between the several strips to permit free oscillation about their several axes. If such a large reflector were employed in one piece, its inertia would be so great as, practically, to preclude its use in sensitive high speed apparatus; but by dividing such a large reflector into a number of parallel segments, which rotate each about its own axis, the combined inertia of the several segments is made very much less than would be the inertia of a one piece reflector which the several segments represent in a sense.

Each reflector strip 1 has an independent filament suspension comprising an upper filament 1, and two lower filaments 1 kept apart more or less by braces 28. One of the strip reflectors 1 (any one of the strip reflectors may be this reflector 1) is the controlling reflector of the series, and is provided with a bracket 28, to which are connected traces 26 leading to any convenient source of power (as, for example, to a galvanometer coil, as illustrated in my said application Serial No. d0,694:). The other reflectors 1 have similar arms 28, said arms 28 being connected for joint vibration, o'. 6., vibration in unison, by means of traces 31. It is clear, that as any one of the strip reflectors (for example reflector 1 is caused to oscillate, the other reflectors oscillate in like manner and to the same extent so that a light beam may be deflected variably in the same manner and to the same degree as the controlling reflector 1 and therefore it follows that a light beam, incident upon the composite reflector, will be reflected thereby to the same extent and in the same manner as if that composite reflector were a single unitary reflector; the inertia, however, of the composite reflector, being very much less than that of an equivalent unitary reflector.

A group of cooperating segmental reflec tors such as shown in Fig. 1, is particularly suitable for use when the source of illumination is such that it is diflicult or impracticable to concentrate the light pencil or pencils from that source upon a very narrow reflector. An are lamp having fairly large carbons is an illustration of one such source of illumination; the image of the are (or the craters of the carbons) being more or less approximately circular.

The reflector is of course adapted for deflecting other types of rays of radiant en'- ergy than light rays; for example, it is Well suited for the deflection of heat rays.

What I claim is 1. A lo\v-inertia large-area reflector comprising a plurality oireflecting strips located side by side, mountings for such strips providing substantially parallel axes of oscillation for the several strips, and means for causing the several strips to oscillate in prising a plurality of reflecting strips, and a fiber suspension for each such strip, several fiber suspensions arranged to provide axes of oscillation Which are parallel, and means connecting the several strips to cause them to oscillate together.

3. A low-inertia large-area reflector comprising a plurality of reflecting strips, independent fiber suspensions for the several strips providing substantially parallel axes of oscillation, each such strip provided with a transverse bracket, and traces connecting the several brackets to cause the several strips to oscillate together.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

THOMAS BULLITT DIXON.

Witnesses ARTHUR R. RULLEY,

E. M. Coonn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

